Trying to get some info on my dad’s CZ J 37 it’s a 380

ronz · February 15, 2012, 03:06 PM

He got it back in the 50’s from his uncle who brought it back from ww2
From what I could find out it appears that it was designed in 37 but couldn’t find out how to find the manufacture year or much else we mainly just want the history of the gun when and what country it was made for who used it etc. so if anyone can give us a history lesson would be greatly appreciated
top of slide " CESKA ZBROJOVKA A.S. PRAZE 123591 " and a stamp i think is a walking lion on the mag P.Mod.27

Winchester_73 · February 15, 2012, 06:31 PM

What you actually have is a CZ 24 in .380. The 37 was either an adoption date or a production date of the pistol but there was no model 37 made by CZ. There was a CZ 38, in 380, but it is completely different from your pistol. The mag is for a CZ 27, which was 32 acp aka 7.65mm. These are fairly common but not as common as the CZ 27. Nice gun.

gyvel · February 15, 2012, 08:01 PM

CZ 24 production must have overlapped CZ 27 production.

Winchester_73 · February 15, 2012, 11:12 PM

Quote:

CZ 24 production must have overlapped CZ 27 production.

Do you mean that sarcastically....or ? I would guess what you're saying to be the case, with 24 and 27 being close together in years. There could have still been a small demand for 380 pistols after the CZ introduction of the 27 in 32 acp.

gyvel · February 16, 2012, 02:16 AM

No, definitely not sarcastically.

In fact, it prompted me to get out my Czech pistol reference book and it seems that the .380ACP CZ 24 was produced for the Czech army and gendarmerie to the tune of 188,200 pistols from 1925-1938.

The redesigned and simplified .32ACP CZ 27 was intended for the police and "revenue guard," and was produced from ca. 1930-1950, with 620,000 being made.

There is a beautiful color photo of a 1930 dated CZ 27 in the book. The gun is in the 6,000 range and has a checkered walnut grip.

February 15, 2012, 03:06 PM	#1
ronz Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2012 Location: milwaukee wi Posts: 220	Trying to get some info on my dad’s CZ J 37 it’s a 380 He got it back in the 50’s from his uncle who brought it back from ww2 From what I could find out it appears that it was designed in 37 but couldn’t find out how to find the manufacture year or much else we mainly just want the history of the gun when and what country it was made for who used it etc. so if anyone can give us a history lesson would be greatly appreciated top of slide " CESKA ZBROJOVKA A.S. PRAZE 123591 " and a stamp i think is a walking lion on the mag P.Mod.27

February 15, 2012, 06:31 PM	#2
Winchester_73 Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 2,863	What you actually have is a CZ 24 in .380. The 37 was either an adoption date or a production date of the pistol but there was no model 37 made by CZ. There was a CZ 38, in 380, but it is completely different from your pistol. The mag is for a CZ 27, which was 32 acp aka 7.65mm. These are fairly common but not as common as the CZ 27. Nice gun. __________________ Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west

February 15, 2012, 08:01 PM	#3
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	CZ 24 production must have overlapped CZ 27 production.

February 16, 2012, 02:16 AM	#5
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	No, definitely not sarcastically. In fact, it prompted me to get out my Czech pistol reference book and it seems that the .380ACP CZ 24 was produced for the Czech army and gendarmerie to the tune of 188,200 pistols from 1925-1938. The redesigned and simplified .32ACP CZ 27 was intended for the police and "revenue guard," and was produced from ca. 1930-1950, with 620,000 being made. There is a beautiful color photo of a 1930 dated CZ 27 in the book. The gun is in the 6,000 range and has a checkered walnut grip.